Untitled

New Zealand Mail, Issue 318, 16 March 1878, Page 5

A Parisian hairdresser, who was decorated with the \Order of Christ of Portugal, has found that;* honor rather costly. A Portuguese custolner of his, who is said to be a manufacturer of corks, but who often visits Paris, encouraged him to baptise a liairwash of his invention “ Eau de Portugal,” aud to forward a sample of it to the Portuguese Queen. The hairdresser complied. Two quarts of the liquid were transmitted to Lisbon in valuable cut-glass bottles ; and soon afterwards an acknowledgment was returned under the form of letters patent of knighthood, according to a promise previously made by the manufacturer of corks. When, however, the haircutter ventured to issue 20,000 prospectuses engraved with the insignia of his decoration, the Portuguese Embassy took offence, aud communicated to the new knight a Royal decree “ graciously revoking” the distinction with which lie had been favored. On the hairdresser’s declining to recall his emblazoned prospectus, criminal proceedings were instituted, and he was fined £2O. He has now brought an action in one of the Parisian Courts to assert his right of knighthood despite the Portuguese Government, but the Judges of his country have nonsuited him, with costs. Many other hairdressers may think this all the harder, as the bottles of hairvvash forwarded for the use of the Portuguese Court have never been returned.